Hot top



Feb. 17, 1931. W, H RAMAGE 1,792,868 i HOT TOP Filed Feb. 5, 1927 3 Sheets-Sheet l .nllmmll lllllW 'INVENTOR W. H. RAMAGE HOT TOP Feb l?, 193k Filed Feb. 5, 1927 I5 Sheets-Shee?. 2

INVENTOR /Cm ATTORN W* H. RAMAGE Feb. N, 1931.

HOT TOP Filed Feb. 5, 1927 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Qty. 74.

Wz'llz'alm Haig Haag?? x 1 l l l l ll ...lll/Illl \|1 /v'w ATTORN Patented Feb. 17, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE WILLIAM HAIG RAMAGE, OF GIRARD, OHIO, ASSIGNOR T VALLEY MOULD & IRON GOB;- PORATION, 0F HUBBARD, OHIO, A. CORPORATION 0F NEW YORK -HOT TOP applic-aum; area February 5, 1927. serial No. 1e6,145.

The present invention relates to metallurgy and more specifically to hot top constructions adapted for use with ingot molds.

Hot tops as heretofore used in the art have been constructed of a one-piece cast iron shell into which bricks were set. The flanges of the shell supporting the bricks Were merely sufficient to retain the bricks in position in the shell. Heretofore hot tops were w used with the face of the raw bricks exposed to the molten steel and the steel tended to cut into the brick faces and spall off pieces of brick during stripping. This shortened the life of the brick and added to cost of the steel produced. p

The present invention is embodied in a hottop wherein the shell is formed in sections, and in the preferred form, the upper flange is ofa width substantially equal to or greater than the entire Width of the liner brick. The bottom plate or section is a separate flange which may have a face thereon comprising an inclined, surface forming a square seat for the bottom of the liner bricks.

The construction is such that the upper ends of the bricks are protected against stripping tools which frequently break the exposed corners of the bricks of the old art hot tops, Where the bricks are not protected by the t'op ange. This Wide topiange also acts to protect the bricks from rain or snow Where the equipment is run `out into the open as is often the Case. This Wide top flange also decreases the top opening and causes the stream of molten steel to be more accurately centered relative to the mold.` Furthermore. the bottom plate being a separate member has more freedom in expansion and contraction and therefore is less liable to breakage due to strains set up while in operation. The bottom plate coming in contact with the molten steel, While in operation, is subjected to the most severe usage of any metal part of the hot top and since itis a separate piece, it may be replaced Without the necessity. of discarding or destroying the remainder of the hot top. The hot top is also provided with vent openings which permit any trapped gases or air back of the bricks to escape without being forced through restricted openings which .might accidentally occur in the lining. This assists in the production of better steel and also increases the life of the hot top.

In the use of the present hot tops, the invention also includes the matrix faces of the bricks being covered with a slurry, preferably comprising silica cement. This slurry prevents the steel from iluxing or fusing to the brick and permits the ingot to be stripped clean from the brick Without. injurious effect either to the hot top bricks or to the ingot Which has frequently been injured in the prior art by the fusing into the steel of portions of the brick.

Furthermore, the use of this slurry prevents the steel from fusing to the bricks and hanging While the steel is freezing. Where the steel fuses to the bricks or hot top, as often happened in the prior art, the ingot tended to hang While the molten metal `thereof was freezing and this formed hanging cracks in the ingot.

This invention also contemplates the use of a sheet medium over the face of the bricks, such as card board, or heavy paper or the like coated with graphite, or other material, to prevent the steel from fusing to the brick.

Another feature of this invention is the use of heat insulating brick as a lining for hot tops as distinguished from ordinary ire brick heretofore used in the art.

The present invention also contemplates unique and convenient means of attaching the hot top semi-permanently to the mold. That is, the hot top and mold are attached together and are utilized as one unit until the hot top has deteriorated suiciently from use to require repairs, at which time another hot top is attached to the mold and the Worn member is removed.

Other and further advantages of the present invention will in part be obvious and will in part be pointed out hereinafter in the so'n 'a portion of the top of an ingot mold.

specification and by reference to the accompanying drawings throughout which like characters are used to indicate like parts.

Realizing that the present inventions may be embodied in constructions other than those herewith specifically disclosed, the disclosure of the invention is therefore to be understood as illustrative and not in the limiting sense.

Fig. 1 is a plan view of one form of hot top according to the present invention showing a part of the top flange broken away to expose the upper ends of the bricks.

Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation through the hot top shown in Fig. 1 and through a portion of the top of an ingot mold, and showing a preferred form of attachment of the hot top to the ingot mold.

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the bottom flange of the hot top illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2.

Fig. 4 is a detail cross-sectional view of a fastening member for securing the bottom flange to the upper casing.

Fig. 5 is a lan view of the top of an pgot mold having attaching lugs to hold the ot top.

Fig. 6 is a view of a modified form of hot top showing a modified type of fastener and Fig. 7 is a detail view taken at substantially right angles to Fig. 6 and showing a portion of the hot top in section.

Fig. 8 illustrates three views of a corner brick, view a comprising the top, view b comprising the front face and view c comprising the bottom.

Fig. 9 is a corner brick with curved surfaces on the face and back and comprises view d showing the top of the brick, view e showing the face thereof and View f showing the bottom.

Fig. 10 illustrates how-the bricks compris.

ing the present invention are adapted for use in a large size hot top.

Fig. 11 illustrates how the bricks comprising the present invention are adapted for use with a small hot top.

Fig. 12 is a. view showing a modification with both top and bottom flanges as being separable.

Fig. 18 is a plan View of the top of the construction illustrated in Fig. 12.

Fig. 14 is a vertical elevational section of another modification of the present invention.

Referring now more especially to Figs. 1, 2, and 3, which'illustrate a preferred form of the present invention. a casing 1 is provided with a top flange 2 and a side wall having vent openings 4. A bottom flange 5 comprising a separate member is provided with an inclined brick face support and a flat smooth portion 7 adjacent the outer edge to form a seat for the lower edge of the casing 1. The casingI may be secured to the lower flange in many different ways and one convenient securing device comprises an elbow 8 (Fig. 1) carried by a bolt 9 through the side wall of the casing. Preferably, this piece 8 is bolted in place on the casing While in the form of a straight strip which is then struck by a hammer and bent into place to fit the particular bottom flange being assembled. The elbow 8 extends into a recess. 10 in the lower part of the bottom plate adjacent the outer edge thereof. These securing devices may be arranged at convenient intervals around the casing, butpreferably are provided on the rounded corners thereof, thereby making four securing members over each substantially rectangular hot top. Preferably, the bottom portion of the casing 1 is provided with lugs 11 and the bottom flange 5`is also provided with lugs 12 adjacent thereto. In the preferred form, one pair of lugs, that is, either those on the flange, or those on the lower casing, are slotted while the other pair is provided with guide openings to carry anchor bolts. In the form illustrated in Figs. 1 to 3, the lugs 11 are drilled to carry anchor bolts 14 while the lugs 12 are provided with cast slots 15. This construction admits of independent expansion and contraction of the parts and also admits of easy assembling since close fits in both parts are not required. The anchor bolts 14 extend through anchor lugs 16 formed on the top of an ingot mold 17 and these bolts are held in position by wedge keys 18 that are driven through the ends of the bolts and are bent sidewise to prevent the keys and boltsA from working loose. This construction securely fastens the hot top in position on the ingot mold.

Figs. 6 and 7 illustrate a hot top wherein there is no external top flange and also the side wall of thev top casing is provided with lugs 19 having transverse openings carrying clevis pins 20 which are adapted to interlock clevises 21 beneath clevis lugs 22 cast upon an ingot mold adjacent the top thereof to secure the hot top upon the ingot mold.

The top outside flange shown in Fig. 1 is notched as at 24 in order to provide guideways which will hold the chains of chain hooks that may be hooked under the lugs 11. When the hot top is lifted by a crane the chains will pull into the notches 24 in the top flange so that the engagement of the chain with the sides of the notches will prevent the hot top from tipping.

Referring to Figs. 8 to 11, the corner brick 25 illustrated in Fig. 8 is of an arched wedged type, in that the area of the bottom of the brick illustrated in view o is greater than the area of the top of the brick illustrated in view a. The sides of the brick are preferably formed on plane surfaces indicated by lines and y in View a, and if these planes were extended, they would meetin front of the face of the brick at an angle which is an aliquot art of a right angle, where the hot ltop is su stantially rectangular in form- As shown in Fig. 8, the angle is substantially a 45 angle, so that by setting two of these bricks in the corners of a substantially rectangular shaped casing, the outside edges illustrated at m and n in Fig. 10, meet within the hot top at an angle of substantially 90.

ere shapes other than rectangular are used for the hot top the angles of the side faces are such that the terminal side faces meet the casing at substantially 90.

Fig. 9 illustrates a corner brick 26 having curved front and rear faces and with the sides thereof preferably comprising plane surfaces which, if extended, on the lines indicated as a and w in view d, meet in front of the brick at substantially right angles. Where this type of corner brick is used, one whole brick completes the corner of the lining. Preferably, this brick is also wedged shaped, and the bottom of the brick shown in view f is of a larger area than the top of the brick shown in view d.

, The present invention contemplates the production of corner bricks of a uniform character that is, of a segmental character, types of which are illustrated in Figs. 8 and 9, and also side bricks of uniform size and character.'

These corner bricks are so constructed and formed that when set in the casing, the corner bricks complete the corner lining and then side bricks of a uniform character may be used to fill in the lining between the corners. To this end, the side bricks may comprise rectangular bricks 23 of substantially uniform dimensions. By the use of one size of uniform corner bricks and one size of uniform side bricks, various sizes of hot tops may be lined, it merely being necessary to maintain the dimensions of the hot tops such that the corners shall be of substantially the same curvature for the various sized hot tops and that the dimensions-between the corners shall be substantially unit widths of standard sized side bricks. The standardization of the corner bricks and side bricks and the provision of hot top casings coordinated with these standard'brick sizes enables the manufacturer to carry but one sized stock of corner bricks and side bricks and with this one sized stock the manufacturer is able to face all of the hot top casings covering his entire line of ingot molds.

The preferred way of setting the bricks in the hot top casing is to attach the bottom flange to the upper casing 1 by means of the elbow irons 8 and bolts 9, or other convenient securing means, and then set the corner bricks in place. After the corner bricks are set, the side bricks may be driven in from the inside', since the sides of the corner bricks and also of the side bricksare straight and Itis necessary that the joint between the bottoms of the bricks and the bottom flange shall be a tight joint in order to prevent iins from forming at this point tending to lock the ingot to the hot top. The joint between the top flange 2 andthe tops of the bricks is not so important. Preferably, although not necessarily, the bricks are set in fire proofcement, or other suitable cementing compounds Which will stand the heat, and which may be used to fill the voids back of the bricks or the space as at 28 between the upper fiange and the tops of the bricks.

The width of the to flange 2 is not less than and preferably is of substantially the same dimension as the width of the bricks, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, in order that a stripping tool being forced through the hot top will be guided through the flange 2 so as not to contact with the upper corners or ends of the bricks, because if these corners are exposed, the stripping tool is liable to injure or break the bricks during the stripping operation. The opening 29 in the bottom flange 5 is preferably slightly greater than the internal dimension of the face of the bricks and is slightly less than the matrix opening 30 in the top of the mold. This construction provides upwardly receding steps on the set up which prevent the formation of any overhanging fins on the ingot tending to lock the hot top to the ingot when the ingot is frozen.

Another feature of the present invention is the covering of thefaces of the bricks with a slurry when the hot top is ready for use. This slurry prevents the steel from fusing or sticking to the bricks and therefore allows the ingot to be freely removed yfrom the hot top without any injury to the bricks or without carrying any brick particles with the ingot, which particles may be fused into the ingot and spoil the steel in this portion of the ingot. A satisfactory slurry for this purpose is silica cement, or like material which does not have a iiuxing action on the brick when in contact with the hot molten steel. As hereinbefore mentioned sheets of suitable material may also be used forthis purpose.l

Sheet material (Figs. 12 and 13), for example, cardboard coated with graphite or other material, may be positioned over the face of the bricks in the hot top so that whenv the hot top is illedwith molten steel the sheet material prevents the contact of the molten steel with the face of the bricks and further protects the hot top while in use. While this feature of `the invention is illustrated only'with reference to the construction shown in Figs. 12 and 13, it is adaptable to be used with any form of the invention and is not limited to use o'n the form shown in Figs. 12 and 13. This cardboard lining,

which may be set within the hot top with overlaiping ends is desired, is adapted to be burne up or destroyed with each heat and is removed from the hot top when the ingot is stripped therefrom. Therefore, the sheet lining (where the sheet lining is used) is intended to be replaced for each heat, whereas the hot top itself is substantially permanent in its connection to the mold.

Fig. 12 discloses a modification of the resent invention comprising a hot top casmg formed principally of three members, namely, a separable top flange 31, a frustroconical or frustro-pyramidal casing 32, and

' a separable bottom flange 34. In this form vco of t e invention, the top flange 31 and the bottom flange 34 may be held together by bolts 35 having the heads 36 thereo counter-sunk and with pockets 37 formed in the lower flange to receive and enclose nuts 38 on the bolts 35. These through bolts may be located at convenient intervals around the hot top casing and when tightened they tend to clamp the casing wall 32 between the uppervand lower flanges. In this construction, it may be desirable to set the bricks in the side wall of the casing 32 with the top flange off and then placing the top flange in position and tightening the nuts `38, and finally filling in the joint between the top of the bricks and the top flange by suitable heat resisted cement. In the form illustrated in Fig. 12, the front bricks 39 are preferably refractory bricks, such as re clay, or the like to resist the action of the hot steel. A backing 40 is provided of heat insulating bricks as distinguished from fire bricks. The heat insulating bricks shown in this form may comprise diatomaceous earth bricks or particles or similar materials which have a very high heat insulating quality.

The present invention also comprises the use of a single thickness of heat insulating bricks as liners, as distinguished from fire bricks heretofore used in the art. One form of heat insulating bricks used as a facing may comprise highly refractory fire clay and saw dust mixed together and burnt as in the ordinary manufacture of fire brick. This ty e of heat insulating bricks is both highly eat insulating and refractory.

Referring to Fig. 14 which illustrates a further modification of the present invention,

a casing'41 is adapted to set directly upon the mouth of an in ot mold 42 and refractory bricks 44 are a apted to be set within said casing 41. A removable top flange 45 is placed above said casing and may be attached to said ingot molds by providin attaching ears or lugs 46.0n said ingot moId or the usual lifting lugs of the ingot may be used for this purpose. One form of attaching means may comprise looped stirrups 47 extending from beneath said lugs 46 over ears or projections on theto flange 45 and be held in posltion by means o wedge pins 48 driven through the eyes 49 in said stirrups. In this construction, the casing 41 which acts as a support for the bricks 44 is preferably slightly shorter in length than said bricks in order that said Bange 45 will apply pressure to said bricks to hold the same tightly in place against the mouth of the mold, thereby obviating formation of fins on the ingot at this point. Preferably, the inner edge of the bricks 45 extends inwardly to form an inward step over the mouth of the mold so that any hanging of the ingot in the mold relative to this hot top is obviated.

Having described my invention, I claim 1. A hot top for ingot molds comprising a casing provided with a flange on the upper portion thereof and an upwardl. inclined side wall, a lower flange -having abrick supporting portion and provided with a shoulder, means to secure said lower flange to said casing with the shoulder on said lower flange setting inside the lower portion of the casing, heat insulating bricks secured between said flanges with said bricks extending inwardly at their upper ends a distance sub- Itantially equal to the width of the upper an e.

2.gA hot top for ingot molds comprising a casing of substantially rectangular cross section with rounded corners, a flange extending inwardly from the upper part of said casing, a separable lower flange, means to osition said casing upon said lower flange, insulating bricks mounted betweensaid flanges, the side wall bricks having substantially a rectangular horizontal cross section and the corner bricks having trapezoid shaped horizontal cross sections, the cross section shapes of said bricks being such that when the bricks are set in the casing to form a comlete lining therefor and the bottom flange is 1n place, the bricks are interlocked in the casing against displacement.

3. A hot top for ingot molds comprising a casing having an inwardly extending flange, heat insulating bricks within said casing, a separate bottom flange mounted on said casing, means to secure said flange and said casing together to permit an independent expansion and contraction of said bottom flange, an ingot mold, and means to securely lock the hot top to said ingot mold, whereby said mold and hottop may be used for successive casting operations without displacement of the hot top from the mold.

4. A hot top comprising an upper casing provided with an inwardly extending flange,

- extending laterally from said lower flange,

and an attachment lug also extending laterally of said casing, one of said lugs being provided with a bolt o ning and the other of V said lugs being provlded with a slotted openvas lng.

5. A hot top for ingot molds comprising an upper casing, a lower iange independent of the upper casing, but adapted to cooperate therewith, insulating bricks mounted within said casing, laterally extending lugs carried by said casing, an ingot mold, laterally extending lugs on said ingot mold, both of said lugs being provided with bolt openings, and a key bolt extending through said lugs and provided with a wedge key whereby said bolt clamps said hot top securely in position on said mold.

6. A hot top'comprising'a casing provided with an inwardly extending brick supporting flange, bricks within said casing, means to support said bricks at the lower ends thereof, an external flange around the top of said casing, said external flange being provided with diametrically7 opposed recesses adapted to comprise guldeways for lift chains when said hot top is raised by lift chains extending through said o enings and attached to the lower portion oi) the hot top.

7. In a hot top construction for ingot molds for use in making steel ingots the combination of a support, heat insulating material within said support, and sheet means over the face of said insulating material and unattached thereto, said sheet means being adapted to be burned up at each heat of said hot top.

8. In a hot top construction for ingot molds for'use in making steel ingots the combination of a hot' top member and sheet material on the inside of said hot member and being adapted to be burned up during each heat of said hot top.

, 9. A hot top for ingot molds comprising a casing having an upper flange and a separate lower flange adapted to Contact with the molten steel when in use, means holding said lower flange in place to permit independent expansion and contraction thereof, a refractory brick lining permanently mounted within said casing and between said lianges and adapted to withstand stripping of an 1na portion of which is adapted to contact with molten steel during the use of said hot top, connecting means between said upper casing and said lower flange plate constructed to permit independent expansion and contraction of said lower flange plate and said upper casing, means adapted for securely attaching said hot top to an ingot mold, and a refractory lining within said casing and supported upon said separate lower flange late.

WILLIAM HAIG RAMAGE.

got without displacing said brick lining from said casing, and a second lining of heat insulating material between said bricks and said casing.

10. A hot top for ingot molds comprising an upper casing, a separate lower iange plate 

